Djokovic surges into qualifying position in Live Race

Novak Djokovic did not leave the Rolex Shanghai Masters with his 100th tour-level title, but he departed China with critical points for the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

The Serbian star arrived at the season's eighth ATP Masters 1000 event in ninth place in the Live Race. By reaching the final, he surged to sixth place, putting him in a qualifying position for the Nitto ATP Finals, which will take place from 10-17 November in Turin.

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin (as of 14 October)

Djokovic is 605 points ahead of Alex de Minaur, who in ninth place is currently the first player outside the cut for the season finale.

The 37-year-old Djokovic is trying to earn his place at the year-end championships for the 17th time. Only Roger Federer (18) and Rafael Nadal (17) have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals that many times. Djokovic owns the record for most titles at the event with seven.

The players currently in seventh through 12th places in the Live Race are all in action this week, with four of them playing in the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm and two at the European Open in Antwerp.

Seventh-placed Casper Ruud and eighth-placed Andrey Rublev will try to secure their standing. Ruud will pass Djokovic for sixth if he reaches the Stockholm final.

Ninth-placed De Minaur, 275 points behind Rublev for the final qualification spot, can make up ground in Antwerp. The Australian is trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. He has not competed since reaching the US Open quarter-finals due to injury.

Tenth-placed Grigor Dimitrov — the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion — and 11th-placed Tommy Paul are in action in Stockholm, while 12th-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas is playing in Antwerp.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]